Source Naturals, L-Tryptophan 500mg - 120 Capsules

I know that's a funny title, but seriously, how the hell did I not??? I was a child with OCD and I have been an adult with OCD and anxiety. I'm also sort of a naturalist and very anti-pharmaceutical. I don't care what anyone says, but this country is driven by "quick fixes" and "happy pills," which of course NEVER solve the problem. I can honestly say that this supplement has saved me in every way that I needed to be saved. I could not for the life of me figure out why my anxiety got worse as an adult where I started having panic attacks and then fearing that I would have panic attacks which brought on more panic attacks. I won't be a hypocrite. I have a script for Xanax but I RARELY take it. When used on occasion, it is a brilliant med, but I don't want to need to take it. I first tried 5-HTP and I'm a very happy person so when I started getting really agitated, I knew something was weird. Then, I read a bunch of reviews where you aren't supposed to drink within 6 hours of taking it and you shouldn't take Ibuprofen. So, essentially, you aren't supposed to live a real life or get cramps or headaches because just have to suffer through them. If I received major benefit from it, I would have gone ahead and taken it. After getting moody, I look again at the reviews for L-Tryptophan. I can honestly say that this has CHANGED ME! No more panic. Sleeping amazingly. I'm not stressed. I hardly have any anxiety. Where have you been all my life, L-Tryp... seriously??? I have friends that are on SSRI's AND Benzos daily and they STILL have panic attacks. If ALL of that medication isn't at least getting rid of your issues, why the hell would you continue to take it and say to yourself, "This seems very wrong..." After having anxiety daily and panic attacks often and literally beginning to question doing things because I didn't want to have panic, I knew that I needed to find SOMETHING to help me or I would literally be nuts by the time I was 40. Friends, this seriously have saved me. I have tried a LOT of stuff (I mean A LOT), but in getting to the root of my stuff (OCD/anxiety), I figured that low serotonin was the bottom line. It would seem then that raising my serotonin levels naturally would be key. I cannot say enough how amazing this product has been. I wish I could give it 10 stars and an Academy Award! Thank you, Source Naturals for making an excellent product. I will be buying a lifetime supply! UPDATE: it's over a month later and I haven't had a panic attack or taken Xanax once!! I think it's a combo of working with your thoughts as well but I really do believe in this product.

TL;DR Version: I'm incredibly skeptical of alternative medicine, but it works. Long Version: I've been wrestling with severe PTSD for years, including depression, anxiety problems, and sleep disorders. But getting treated for PTSD is difficult and I hate the side-effects of psychiatric Rx's. Still, I've bordered on major mood problems that made me desperate for something. I was willing to check myself into an institution, except my insurance provider wouldn't cover enough of the expense. Now let me say right up front that I am a skeptic. I don't put much stock in alternative medicine, as a rule. Yeah, okay, Valerian works, opioids and certain other "herbs", but most of the effective ones are Schedule-narcs, making it irrelevant for the don't-want-to-go-to-jail type of person. But I did my research and found some medical literature supporting the use of L-Tryptophan for my symptoms, so I thought I'd give it a try. But I wasn't hoping for anything. In fact, I explicitly expected this NOT to work. Wow, I was wrong. This works so wonderfully that I wonder when the big pharma co's are going to catch on and forced the FDA to take this off the OTC market. Regimine: Three capsules (500mg) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (this is important) Two capsules mid-day an hour before lunch. Two capsules an hour before dinner. I also take melatonin supplements before bed. This helps, but don't overdo it or it can be counter-productive. Effect: It is very subtle at first. It took me a couple of weeks before I realized that I was actually feeling fine for a change. That might not sound like a big deal, but if you're suffering with PTSD, trust me: feeling "fine" is a joy. I am able to deal with life without getting freaked out and spiraling down the rabbit hole. Things just don't upset me the way they used to. I can handle the regular life "stuff"; everything doesn't become Instant Crisis Freakout. In fact, it's rather hard for me to get upset about anything. If that sounds like heaven to you, then this is the supplement you want. When I came to my PMS week, I was worried I'd find out that I was just imagining the effect, but nope -- I made it through that week with only a slight mood swing. Nothing serious. I ran out about a month ago and didn't bother to re-up because one of the features of my PTSD that this does nothing for is the procrastination (note that; this won't fix everything). It was a week or so, and I started noticing my stress returning. In another week, it was bad again, so I bought a new bottle. It's been a week, and I'm feeling good again. People seem to take this for a lot of reasons, and I can't speak to any other than anxiety and depression. It did not do anything for my insomnia directly. It was more of an indirect effect of making me chill enough that I wasn't going to sleep rigid with worry. Still, it doesn't put me out or anything. For that, I use the melatonin. Note: If you're trying to make up your mind whether to take this or 5-HTP, go with this. It's the precursor for the stuff in 5-HTP, and works a lot better. You might try combining this with Emergen-C (not just regular Vitamin C capsules) and a B-6 liquid supplement for even better effects. I noticed a difference with those, but YMMV. All in all, I'm very happy with this.

First I need to mention I have trouble sleeping. Not so much falling asleep but waking up in the middle of the night numerous time either having to go to the bathroom or just not being able to fall back to sleep. I also have numerous medical issues going on. I've been using Benedryl which works good but it raised my blood pressure and blood glucose levels so I had to stop taking it. I am on way too many other medicines to be put on sleeping pills so now I didn't know what to do. I averaged about fours hours of sleep per night. Then I found these L-Tryptophan capsules on Amazon.com. I figured what the heck and decided to purchased them. The first two nights i took three pills and I slept seven hours (did wake up once to use the bathroom but fell right back to sleep). Last night I decided to take four pills and slept eight hours through the night and didn't even wake up to use the bathroom. Wow, did I feel good this morning. I was also told to take a small dose of Melatonin with this pill and I'd sleep like a baby. However, have not tried yet. I was also told that it takes about two weeks for this to really kick in as it settles into your system. I would highly recommend this product as you can see what its done for me the first three nights. Well worth the money! I will review again in a couple of week to let you know the progress. Thank you Soure Naturals and Amazon. UPDATE 2/8/2014 - I've been using L-Tryptophan for about a month now and wow, 7-8 hours of solid sleep per night. For me, four pills before bedtime does the trick. I have not used during the day for anxiety but in three weeks will be taking an international flight and I'm afraid to fly so will take one of these before boarding the plane to see if it reduces the fear. But I have to say, sleeping so good at night and waking up feeling rested is so well worth the money for this product.

I have ordered this several times. I feel like it helps my mood and sleep.

I’ve tried a few sleep and mood supplements over the years, but this L-Tryptophan from Source Naturals feels like a quiet game-changer. The 500mg dosage is just right—gentle enough to avoid grogginess, but effective enough to help me wind down and sleep more soundly. I started with one capsule in the evening and noticed a subtle shift in my ability to relax. It’s not a knockout pill—it’s more like a soft landing at the end of the day. I also appreciate that it’s vegetarian-friendly and clearly labeled, which makes it easy to trust and recommend. The bottle suggests taking it between meals and with fruit juice, which I found helpful for absorption. It’s now part of my nightly routine, and I wake up feeling more rested and emotionally balanced.

I am very pleased with this supplement. I take 3 only just an hour before I sleep with Source Naturals Melatonin. Within an hour I am sleepy and it helps me sleep the entire night without waking up like I use to usually around 3am. Plus the benefits of taking it are good considering it's an essential amino acid. I quit drinking alcohol a couple months ago, and GABA, made by Source Naturals, I think helps with the withdrawals from drinking in that it calms your mind. Then the L=Tyrptophan helps to also calm your mind, relax and sleep. I am grateful to have stumbled upon these supplements and would recommend them to anyone who is suffering from too much stress and lack of sleep which is often a result of too much stress.

I rated the product as a 5 because it works. Period. I've had insomnia for years & been on many sleeping pills; most of which leave me in a stupor the next day or cause blackout periods where I have no memory of what I did after taking them. Besides, they lose their effectiveness. The Tryptophan (I take 3 caps immediately before laying down) helps me fall asleep. When I awake I feel refreshed, not hung over. I'm getting on average 6 hours of quality sleep. Additionally, Tryptophan helps the brain produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter which acts as an anti-depressant. I've literally been able to wean myself off the antidepressant Trazadone (which I took for insomnia) by replacing it with the Tryptophan. Other health benefits of Tryptophan include: controlling hyperactivity, alleviating stress, it aids the heart, is helpful in weight management by reducing appetite & also enhances the release of growth hormone. It is good for combating migraine headaches & may help reduce some of the effects of nicotine. A study reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that people with a history of Bulimia Nervosa (an Eating Disorder) experienced relapses after they took an amino acid mixture lacking Tryptophan. Additionally, a lack of both Tryptophan and the mineral magnesium may contribute to coronary artery spasms. In 1998, the FDA banned the sale of Tryptophan after 38 deaths were reportedly linked to L-Tryptophan use in New Mexico. Subsequent research showed that it was contaminants in the Tryptophan, NOT the Tryptophan itself. I would recommend this product to anyone looking for natural alternatives to treat either depression or insomnia.

I had trouble falling asleep or even feeling tired to go to bed throughout my entire undergrad. I'm the type of person who will doze off working at night but as soon as I lie in bed I'd be ultra-alert. This has frequently resulted in sleeping around 3-4am and makes getting up in the morning a pain. Before taking this pill, I usually got up around 11am-noon. Now, while I still find it hard to get up earlier than that (since I've been sleeping in for 5+ years straight), it has become a lot easier for me to fall asleep after taking these pills, not to mention that the quality of sleep is much better. These days I usually sleep around midnight-1am depending on workload. I sometimes take 1 or 2 of these during the day to stay relaxed if stress runs too high, although I'm not sure if my feeling of relaxation is just a placebo effect. Side note: I am always suspicious of those other reviews that say straight up about after taking this pill BAM their problems are entirely solved... must have swapped it with viagra or something) I've also taken other types of sleeping pills (I think they're antihistamines) that basically mimic the sleep-inducing component of cough medicine and while those work in knocking you out, the quality of sleep is very poor, not to mention that it makes you woozy the next day. There have been studies done showing that your brain is not getting "real" sleep with those type of sleeping pills. It would be really nice if someone had information on the long-term effects of taking this drug. I'm slightly paranoid about not being able to produce sufficient amounts of melatonin on my own after staying on this for a while. Last but not least, this might not work for everyone. It's important to find out the reasons for your insomnia/other sleep problems and how, if at all, this will help. I still wish it would be easier to get up early. 4 stars because swallowing 3 pills is just annoying, and I wish it were slightly cheaper.